Teacher Examination
"oh?"
A single syllable escaped from Ling Zhan's lips, the final syllable rising slightly, revealing no emotion.
But unexpectedly, it popped the balloon that was swollen and bloated.
Shen Yan's heart skipped a beat!
The smugness he felt earlier quickly faded like the receding tide, and a sense of foreboding quietly began to grow.
Ling Zhan's gaze made him uneasy; there was no approval or softening in it as he had expected, only an almost inorganic scrutiny.
Ling Zhan put down the account book on his lap, picked up another empty white porcelain teacup on the small table, and picked up the handle of the purple clay teapot.
Boiling water is poured into the cup, creating rising steam.
Her movements were unhurried, each joint rotation carrying a precise, inhuman control, elegant yet cold.
“It seems that Young Master Shen is truly thriving and enjoying great success outside,” Ling Zhan’s voice was not loud.
She put down the purple clay teapot, picked up the teacup with her fingertips, but didn't drink. Her gaze, through the rising steam, landed precisely on Shen Yan's face, which had suddenly stiffened. "I suppose you've made considerable progress on the serious homework I assigned, Volume Three of the Great Yin Code?"
The color drained from Shen Yan's face in an instant.
The exuberant spirit froze instantly, then shattered and peeled away, leaving only unprepared astonishment and a blank blankness.
Master? Classmate? Elder brother? Xuan Chenzi?
The clamor and eager gazes receded rapidly like a tide, revealing the jagged, cold rocks beneath.
The homework Ling Zhan assigned him!
Volume 3 of the Laws and Regulations of the Great Yin Dynasty!
That thick, heavy, and difficult-to-understand book that makes you drowsy!
These past few days, he's been so busy enjoying the attention he's getting that he's the center of attention, figuring out how to spend his money in a way that's both extravagant and impressive!
That book…that book…it seems that he only flipped through two pages impatiently on the day he first got it?
He then stuffed it into the bottom of his book box and never thought of it again!
He didn't even notice when Ling Zhan placed the book in a prominent position in the study.
"Perfect."
Ling Zhan's voice rang out again, like a pronouncement, breaking the chaotic buzzing in Shen Yan's mind.
"Today, it's time to check the memorization of Volume Three."
She slightly raised her chin, gesturing towards the study: "Memorize it. Start with the first article of the 'General Laws'."
"Buzz—"
Shen Yan felt as if a swarm of wasps had been stuffed into her head, and her mind instantly exploded.
The Law of Nominal Principles? The First Article? What the hell is that?
He opened his mouth, but his throat felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, leaving it dry and unable to utter a sound.
Fine beads of cold sweat seeped uncontrollably from my forehead, sliding down my temples and bringing a cool, itchy sensation.
He instinctively wiped his face with the back of his hand, his movements revealing obvious panic.
"Uh...that..."
He swallowed hard, his eyes darting around in a panic, trying to escape the suffocating interrogation.
Husband...husband thief...uh...that...thief...thief..."
My mind was a complete blank; those few dry legal provisions were like slippery eels, impossible to catch.
He suddenly remembered the "scenery" outside, as if grasping at a lifeline, and tried to change the subject by speaking rapidly.
"Today, the teacher's lecture on the Three Character Classic was quite interesting! 'At the beginning of life, man is inherently good'... And Xuan Chenzi! You didn't see him, squatting by the wonton stall watching me with such a strange look in his eyes, probably pondering some kind of charades... And that old man selling wontons, calling me 'esteemed person,' his voice was so loud that the whole South Market could hear it! Everyone says the owner of our 'Yunshangji' is quite impressive..."
His speech became faster and faster, but his voice grew weaker and weaker.
He appeared visibly flustered and lacked confidence.
He tried to describe the excitement and adulation outside, attempting to use this "achievement" to alleviate the embarrassment of his studies.
Ling Zhan remained silent.
She simply watched him quietly, observing the cold sweat on his forehead, the evasive look in his eyes, and the slight trembling of his fingertips from nervousness. She even picked up the cup of tea, brought it to her lips, gently blew away the foam, and then slowly sipped a small mouthful.
Throughout the entire process, her gaze never left Chen Yan's face.
That gaze was eerily calm.
There was no urging, no reprimanding, only a penetrating understanding and a cold scrutiny.
This silent pressure was far more chilling and unsettling than any harsh rebuke.
He felt that all his boasting and explanations were rendered meaningless under the other person's penetrating gaze, which seemed to scan the depths of his soul.
All of this seemed utterly ridiculous and futile.
Time slipped away slowly in a suffocating silence.
The light under the eaves gradually dimmed, and the last rays of the setting sun disappeared behind the western mountains.
As dusk settled, a cool evening breeze gently swept through the courtyard, swirling up a few fallen leaves.
The sound of disgust grew lower and lower, weaker and weaker, until it finally disappeared completely from the throat.
He deflated completely like a punctured balloon, his shoulders slumped limply, his head drooping, staring at the dusty tips of his shoes, not daring to look at Ling Zhan again.
The air was so heavy it almost seemed to solidify, and even the bubbling of the charcoal fire sounded particularly jarring.
"I...I haven't memorized it..."
The three words, barely audible, finally escaped from Chen Yan's tightly pursed lips, carrying a heavy nasal tone and utter resignation.
Each word felt like it weighed a ton, making his eardrums ring.
In front of Ling Zhan, any sophistry is superfluous.
"Oh."
A very soft exhale, almost devoid of emotion, escaped from Ling Zhan's nostrils.
She put down her teacup.
The bottom of the cup struck the hard rosewood table with a crisp "tap".
In the quiet courtyard at dusk, it sounded particularly jarring.
She stood up.
In the twilight, her figure appeared even taller and more slender than usual, exuding a commanding presence that emanated from the depths of her soul, completely overshadowing her listless and weary demeanor.
"It seems that Young Master Shen is enjoying great success outside and is too happy to study."
Ling Zhan's voice rang out clearly, striking Shen Yan's heart precisely, "You've completely forgotten about the important matter."
Shen Yan's body twitched almost imperceptibly, and his head drooped even lower.
He felt like a soldier who had made a fatal mistake on the battlefield, facing a ruthless military judge.
"If that's the case..."
Ling Zhan's tone was as if he were reading a cold battle report: "Anything but extra money."
She paused, glanced at Shen Yan's suddenly pale face, and clearly uttered two words, like a final verdict.
"Half off".
Shen Yan suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide open, filled with disbelief and a sudden surge of immense loss.
Half price?!
Wouldn't that mean he only has a pitiful one string of cash left?
They couldn't even give a few tips for a bowl of fresh meat wontons with extra filling!
All the pride and satisfaction he had accumulated from his swaggering influence at the academy and the adulation he received at the wonton stall were shattered in that instant by those two light words! He opened his mouth, wanting to argue that it was for the sake of the workshop's reputation...
However, Ling Zhan wasn't finished speaking.
Her gaze shifted to the open door of the study, where the thick, brick-like "Da Yin Laws, Volume Three" lay quietly on the desk, its blue cloth cover gleaming in the dim light like a colossal beast waiting to devour her.
"Tonight, copy Volume Three ten times."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it sounded like a military order: "If you don't finish copying, your allowance tomorrow will be..."
She paused deliberately, then clearly uttered the two fatal words, "half."
A double blow! Economic sanctions plus physical punishment!
Shen Yan felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, as if a thunderclap had exploded above his head!
Copying the book ten times?! That thick volume, Book Three?! And they'll deduct money from my pay!
He was just enjoying the spotlight on the cloud, but in the blink of an eye, he was kicked into the bottomless abyss of copying books!
Ling Zhan's words were like two cold iron clamps, tightly gripping his throat and purse.
He opened his mouth, wanting to protest, to argue, to say how difficult it was for him to maintain that dignity, and how much face he had brought to the workshop... But all the words that rushed to his throat froze, shattered, and vanished when he met Ling Zhan's eyes.
He had no room for negotiation.
Ling Zhan stopped looking at him, turned around, and walked steadily towards his room.
"Bang."
The sound of the door closing softly became the final straw that broke Shen Yan's back.
He stood frozen in place, like a puppet whose bones had been removed.
…All the magnificent scenes faded and distorted in an instant, eventually turning into the thick, cold "Laws of the Great Yin Dynasty" on the desk.
He looked down at his empty hands.
A surge of immense grievance, resentment, and the absurdity of "extreme joy turning into sorrow" rushed to his nose, making his eyes sting and burn.
He sniffed hard, swallowed the sour taste, and slowly made his way into the study.
The candlestick was lit, and a dim, yellowish light spread across the desk.
The gold-embossed characters on the blue cloth cover of the book "Da Yin Laws, Volume Three" were clearly visible and dazzling.
He sat down heavily, the wooden stool creaking under its weight.
He stared at the thick book as if it were his mortal enemy, his teeth clenched so tightly that his cheeks bulged slightly.
He grabbed the book, roughly flipped it open, and the pages rustled loudly.
The ink stick was slammed into the inkstone, splashing up a few black specks.
He grabbed the brush, dipped it in ink, and with a fierce determination to pierce the paper, slammed it heavily onto the snow-white Xuan paper.
"According to the first principle of law: Among the five types of punishments, there are three thousand articles, but none is greater than filial impiety..."
The pen tip scratched across the paper, making a soft, rustling sound that was particularly clear in the quiet study.
Shen Yan wrote quickly, his handwriting so messy it resembled scribbles, conveying an uncontrollable restlessness.
After copying only a few lines, my wrists started to ache and my eyes began to feel dry.
Those dense, obscure, and difficult legal provisions were like countless tiny insects crawling before his eyes, disturbing his peace of mind.
"Damn it!"
He cursed under his breath, slamming his pen on the table. Ink splattered, leaving an unsightly stain on the half-page he had just copied. "What kind of stupid law is this! Copying, copying, copying! Ling Zhan! You…"
He gritted his teeth, his voice squeezed out from between them, filled with resentment and helplessness, "...You're ruthless!"
Outside the window, the night was as dark as ink.
The alley outside the walls of the Shen Mansion was deserted, with only the occasional faint sound of a watchman's clapper coming from afar.
Shen Yan was tormented by being punished to copy texts, and he was so frustrated that he wanted to break the pen in half.
An aged yet remarkably clear voice, tinged with a lazy tone, drifted in unexpectedly from the base of the study window.
"Tsk tsk... young friend, everything else in your destiny is fine, but there's one crucial thing missing..."
Startled by the sudden sound, Shen Yan's hand trembled, and the tip of his pen drew another long ink mark on the paper.
He suddenly looked up and stared warily at the tightly closed window—that voice belonged to Xuan Chenzi!
The voice paused, then continued slowly, enveloping the speaker with an air of omniscience, enunciating each word distinctly.
"...You need a wife who can keep you in check!"
Shen Yan was taken aback, and was about to retort, "Who wants her town?"
But then the voice outside the window rang out again, carrying a hint of knowing teasing and a subtle "guidance": "However..."
Xuan Chenzi's voice trailed off, carrying a hint of persuasion, "Listening to my wife is the way to long-term success. If my wife manages things well, the workshops and shops will prosper! When 'Kaoshan Xueyun Cotton' truly becomes the number one textile manufacturer in Dayin, and 'Yunshangji' opens all over Dayin, with silver piling up like mountains, hehe..."
The old Taoist's voice carried a hint of ambiguous laughter, as if he were winking.
"...Take ten or eight beautiful concubines with him, wouldn't that be exactly what you want? Your wife will manage the household affairs, and you can just enjoy yourself in the backyard, wouldn't that be wonderful? You must understand this principle, young friend!"
Taking concubines? Eight or ten?
A buzzing sound went through Shen Yan's mind—
Xuan Chenzi's unexpected "guidance" was like a strange ray of light, instantly piercing through the painful gloom of copying books.
yes!
The wife is strict in managing money, household affairs, and his studies, but isn't that precisely to make the workshop and shop bigger and stronger?
When "Kaoshan Xueyunmian" truly becomes the number one in Dayin!
"Yunshang Ji" has also blossomed everywhere!
With mountains of gold and silver piled up, he grew weary of being a wealthy lord and preferred to take several beautiful concubines to enjoy the bliss of having multiple wives...
Isn't that perfectly natural?
At that time, his wife will manage the main house and the vast business, while he, Master Shen, will enjoy a carefree life in the backyard...
Xuan Chenzi truly lives up to his reputation as a master!
This idea... is brilliant!
Although there is still a thick volume of law to copy in front of me.
The punishment of ten repetitions weighed on my head like a mountain.
But Xuan Chenzi's description of a "bright future" was like a shot of adrenaline, instantly dissipating most of Shen Yan's resentment towards Ling Zhan, and replacing it with a strange, energetic... expectation?
He even found copying books less unbearable, after all, it was for his future "happy life".
Lay the foundation!
He looked down at the ink stain on the paper, then at the thick "Da Yin Laws," his eyes flickering with complex emotions.
Finally, he licked his dry lips, picked up his pen again, dipped it in ink, and mumbled something indistinctly.
"Listen to me... You must listen to your wife."
"...Ten concubines...and even more."
With a longing for a better backyard life in the future?
I struggled through those densely packed words.
However, his tightly furrowed brows seemed to have relaxed a little.
The corners of his mouth even unconsciously curved into a very faint smile, full of "hope" for the future.
Xuan Chenzi outside the window seemed to chuckle softly, and his footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
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